ROME — Silvio Berlusconi has split with his oldest political ally and the cofounder of his party.
The premier’s split with Gianfranco Fini does not put Berlusconi’s 2-year-old government at immediate risk of collapse, analysts and officials said Friday.
But it leaves the government with a slimmer parliamentary majority, especially in one house.
“We’re going toward a situation of war. I see great difficulties for this government and this legislature,” Stefano Folli, one of Italy’s leading analysts, said.
Fini and Berlusconi, while often bickering, had been together since Berlusconi’s first foray into politics in 1994.
Fini is a former neo-fascist leader whose alliance with Berlusconi has helped him move solidly toward mainstream conservatism.
Berlusconi’s current government took office in May 2008 with a five-year mandate.
Fini and Berlusconi have been at odds on a number of issues but most notably Fini has expressed unease about bills that were perceived as protecting Berlusconi or his associates from legal woes.
On Thursday night, Berlusconi effectively ousted Fini from the People of Freedom party, accusing him of creating a “party within a party” and having an “attitude of permanent opposition to the government.”
Berlusconi said Fini had carried out “a systematic attack” against him.
Lawmakers loyal to Fini formed their own separate parliamentary group Friday, meaning they would have free hands and not be mandated to vote as demanded by the People of Freedom party.
Front Section, Pages 6 on 07/31/2010